Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National Secretary K. Surendran on Saturday alleged that Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan is performing 'danda namaskaram' — a term meaning complete prostration — before the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Jamaat-e-Islami, claiming the two organisations effectively control the United Democratic Front (UDF) government in the state. Surendran made the remarks at a press conference in Kozhikode, escalating the BJP's political offensive against the 130-day-old Satheesan administration.

Surendran's Core Allegations

'V.D. Satheesan and his government are in the custody of the Muslim League and Jamaat-e-Islami,' Surendran alleged. He claimed the BJP had warned voters before the UDF's return to power that these two organisations would be the real power centres behind the government. 'After 130 days, Kerala has also realised this,' he said. 'Though Satheesan is at the helm, the government is being controlled by the Muslim League and Jamaat-e-Islami,' he alleged.

Six Cabinet Positions for Muslim League: BJP's Charge

Surendran alleged that the IUML holds six Cabinet-level positions in the current government — including five ministerial portfolios and the chairmanship of the Administrative Reforms Commission. 'For the first time in Kerala's political history, the Muslim League has six Cabinet positions,' he said, drawing a contrast with the political controversy during the Oommen Chandy government when the League's demand for a fifth minister had triggered a major debate. Surendran alleged that the League had been influencing governance decisions from the very first day of the Satheesan administration.

Governance Failures and Broken Promises: BJP's Charge Sheet

The BJP leader alleged that voters had backed the UDF seeking relief from what he described as the LDF government's 'misrule, corruption, nepotism and administrative failures.' He claimed the UDF's promise of a 'new Kerala' had instead delivered power cuts and unemployment, and that the commitment to extend the validity of Public Service Commission (PSC) rank lists remained unfulfilled. He also alleged that of the five assurances under the Indira Guarantee scheme, only one had been implemented. 'Nothing has been done on the Sabarimala issue, power cuts, corruption in the PSC or extension of rank-list validity. There has been a complete collapse of governance,' Surendran said.

Sabarimala, PM SHRI Scheme and Attack on BJP Office

Surendran further alleged that the investigation into the Sabarimala issue had been 'completely sabotaged' and that the state government was protecting former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his family — a claim the government has not publicly responded to. He alleged the Satheesan administration had backed away from implementing the PM SHRI school scheme under pressure from the IUML and Jamaat-e-Islami. He also linked what he described as a deliberate strategy of manufactured conflicts to the recent attack on the BJP office in Thiruvananthapuram, suggesting these were designed to distract from the government's alleged dependence on its coalition partners.

Political Context

The BJP's broadside comes as Kerala's political landscape remains sharply contested between the ruling UDF, the opposition LDF, and the BJP, which is seeking to consolidate its foothold in a state where it has historically struggled. Surendran's remarks reflect the BJP's sustained attempt to frame the Satheesan government as beholden to minority-community organisations — a line of attack that critics argue is communally charged. The Satheesan government and the IUML had not issued a formal response to these allegations at the time of reporting. How the ruling coalition responds to this intensifying pressure is likely to shape Kerala's political narrative in the weeks ahead.